Settling tank



Jne 6, 1939. w W SpA/ERS,y ET AL Re. 21,109

SETTLING TANK Original Filled June l5, 19555 4 Sheets-Sheet l Uff/Zia??? M50' 67:5

June 6, 1939. W W SAYERS ET AL Re. 21,109

SETTLING TANK Original Filed June l5, 1935 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 JuneYB, 1939. W, W. SAYERS 5T m. Re 21,109

SETTLING TANK original Filed Jun@ 15, 1955 4 sheets-sheet J'uhe 6, 1939. w. wl SAYERS ET A1. Re. 21,109

SETTLIG TANK Ressued JuneA 6, 1939 Re. 21,109v

sE'rTuNG TANK William W. Sayers, Chicago, Ill., and Richard F. Bergmann, Cleveland, Ohio, and Harold F. Watson, Philadelphia., Pa., assignors to Link- Belt Company, Illinois Chicago, Ill., a corporation of Original No. 2,073,810, dated March 16, 1937, Serial No. 26,780, June 15, 1935. Application for reissue July 23, 1938, Serial No. 221,028

16 Claims.

- This invention relates to an apparatus and a process for handling fluid material which includes a mixture of liquids and solids.

It has for one object to provide means for introducing such iiuid into a settling tank. Another object isto provide means for so introducing such fluid as to reduce to a minimum currents within the body of the fluid. Another object is to provide a combined support and uid entrance. Another object is to provide means in connection with a settling tank for introducing fluid at a point atL or close to the bottom of the tank and for supporting an assembly at a point generally above the uid entrance and above the l5 surface of liquid within the tank.

` Other objects will appear from time to time throughout the specification and claims.

The inventionis illustrated more or less diagrammatically in the accompanying drawings, go Wherein Figure 1 is a plan view; Figure 2 is a vertical section taken along the line 2--2 of Figure l; .v

Figure 3 is a vertical sectional detail showing a modified vform of inlet and central supporting column;

Figure 4 is a transverse sectional view taken along the line 4--4 of Figure 3;

Figure 5 is a vertical section taken along a radial line of a modified form of the device;

Figure 6 is a section along the line 6 8 of Figure 5;

Figure 'l is a. detail section through a modified form of the device;

scum hopper in'which a small hopper is used instead of the annular hopper oi the other figures; Figure 9 is a transverse vertical sectional detail taken at line 9-9 of Figure 8. Like parts are indicated by like characters throughout the specication and drawings.

The invention, in the form illustrated herewith is applied to a settling tank having side walls I and a bottom wall or floor 2 provided generally at 4,5 its center with an annular sludge trough 3 from -which a draw-oflccnnection l can 4withdraw the sludge. In the form illustrated in Figures 1 and 2, the funnel Sexte'nds upwardly from the bottom of the tank', Discharging intoit isan influent conduit 6. Extending upwardly from the upper lip of the funnel are a series of `structural angle supports 1, which supports carry a platform Sto-- support a. turn table 9. Below the platform and above the open mouth of the funnel mounted on theV structural angle supports is a conical deector Figure 8 is a plan view of a modified form of (Cl. 21o-55) plate I0, apertured at the center but the major part of the stream of liquid passing up through the funnel 5 is deflected laterally by the plate I0. A pivot I I projects upwardly from the center of the turn table .9.

. An electrical conduit I2 passes upwardly through the funnel 5, and the pivot Il. The use ofthe pivot and the conduit will be described below.

About the circumference of the vtank is an overflow trough I3 adapted to receive eilluent discharged over the upper'edge of the tank. Anl

may be adjustable is provided about theupperedge of the tank. The purpose of this weir is to assure the uniform distribution of flow over the periphery of the tank. Ii adjustable it can be ad- -justed as to height and thus lit controls to some degree the discharge of eiliuent. y

On the top wall ofthe tank is a track I6 which is concentric with the tank. By means of wheels or rollers I'l one end of a bridge structure I8 is supported upon the track. The bridge extends inwardly beyond the center of -the tank and is engaged and pivoted upon the pivot member II. Two or more beveled rollers I! are mounted upon the bridge and rest upon the beveled roller race 9, thus supporting the bridge at one end upon this race.

A Ycurrent collector 20 is positioned on the bridge above the pivot II and through any suitable means, not here shown, it is connected with the conduit I2 so thatelectrical current is furnished for the operation of the mechanism on the bridge.

, A motor 2l is mounted on the bridge and by means of' a conduit 22 is connected with the conduit I2 and hence with the source of electrical current. Through suitable reduction gearing positioned within a housing 23 the motor drives a shaftl 24. At its inboard end the shaft 24 carries a beveled gear 25 which meshes with a second beveled gear 26 on a shaft 2l which carries a sprocket 28.

Depending downwardly nfrom the bridge is a carrying structure 29. At its lower edge it carries a sludge plate 30 and there is mounted upon it a sludge conveyor formed of a pair of chains vlI carrying flights 32. The chain passes about idlers 3l `and is driven by a sprocket 3l on a shaft 35 which carries a larger sprocket 35 which is engaged with a drive chain 3l which also engages and isdriven, bythe sprocket 2l. By this means the conveyor may be driven in the direction 'of the arrow shown in Figure 2, and moves sludge toward the center of the tank to discharge it into the sludge trough 3 Means are preferably provided for causing the bridge assembly to move about the tank so that the entire iloor of the tank will be swept by the sludge plate 3|) and by the radially moving conveyor 8 l 82.

While the bridge may be driven by any desired charge it through the opening in the sludge trough cover plate.

Since the conveyor 3| 82 does not pass over the sludge trough cover. plate 42, some other-means must be provided for moving any sludge which may deposit on the cover plate into the trough. 'I'his is accomplished by a plow or scraper M which is fixed to the member or funnel 5 and overlies the sludge trough cover plate. As will be seen from Figure 2, the sludge plate lll is shaped to pass over and clear the plow M.

In athe modified form of the device shown in Figure 3, the influent conduit 6 discharges directly into'a ilaring flume 45 which is open at its top and provided with a plurality of divisions I5. A closed column 41 is positioned-centrally of the flume 45 and braced and supported at its lower end by the divisions I6. 'I'he column l1 whether hollow or solid, is closed andno i'luid enters it.'

Il 'I'he lower edges of the division members I6 may, as shown in Figure 3, be rounded or provided with enlarged, rounded members I6. It has been found that this construction of edges which face in the direction of the influent makes it less likely 48 that rags and other solids will become caught and retained upon the division members and should they become caught they are more readily removed.

In the modified form of the device shown in 80 Figures 5 and 6, 50 is an influent pipe radially disposed beneath the bottom of the tank. 5| is a supporting column projecting upwardly above the bottom of the tank. Encircling it is an annular chamber 52 having a curved bottom, the bottom curvingon both sides upwardly to a `peak 53 at a point diametrically opposed to the axis or the influent pipe 5D, Thereabove the chamber is annular in cross section, 5l is a funnel, flume or distributing inlet concentric with the column in continuation ofthe' outer periphery of the chamber 52 extending upwardly to a. point well below the liquid level in the-tank. 55 is an annular sludge hopper encircling'the distributing inlet, closed by a plate 56. M is a stationary plow mounted on the distributing inlet overlying the plate 56. The plate is apertured at 88 and receives sludge discharged by the sludge conveyor flights 51 supported on the bridge 58. The sludge plow 59 carried by the bridge is in line generally with one edge of the aperture 88 in the cover plate 56. 'I'he bridge is pivoted at 6| on an enlarged head 62 carried by the column 5|. 63 is a track engaged by rollers 6l to support the inboard end of the bridge. The outboard end of the bridge is on rollers 65 traveling about the track` 66, on the outer periphery of the tank 61.

The tank has a Weir 68 and an effluent channel 69 The sludge conveyor Scrapers or blades 51 on theirreturn travel at the top Yof the tank and serve as scum plows. This conveyor travels over sprockets 19 and one pair of the sprockets 1I) is driven by means of a shaft 1|, chain 12, sprocket 13, 1l from a motor 15. The cover plate 56 rotates with the bridge so as to present the opening in the cover plate always to the sludge plow and sludge scraper flights, 16 is an electric 'conduit beneath the tank extending upwardly beneath the column 5| to a collector 11 whereby power for the motor is provided.

In the modified form shown in Figure 7, the inuent comes in through the elbow 80. At the top of the elbow is anv annular ring 8| below the floor of the tank. This ring has inwardly extending webs 82. Acolumn 83 having a pointed end 84 is provided with webs 85 adapted to be `bolted to the webs 82'. The distributing inlet 86 is mounted on an annular ring 81 bolted to the floor of the tank. The influent comes in through the webs and the pointed end of the column up through the expanding annular space between therdistribu'ting inlet 86 and the column 83 and is discharged to the tank.

Figures 8 and 9 show a modification in the construction of the sludge discharge arrangement. Instead of having an annular sludge hopper as shown for example in the plan view of Figure 1 and elsewhere in the drawings, a small hopper is used. While such a small hopper might be used in connection with any of the forms of the device shown and in connection with any of the constructions of the influent opening or the central column and while it might be used in any other arrangement of influent conduit, even without a central column, it may convenientlybe illustrated in one form as applied to the column and influent conduit generally like that shown in Figures 5 and`6. The arrangement of the bridge and its supporting structure may be the same as that shown in the other figures. 'Ihe plow 59 is generally the same but it is preferably provided with an inclined end 9D which may carry at its inner end a flexible wiper 9|, This inclined end 98 sweeps the portion of the floor of the tank closest to the column 5I and to the member 54, and the wiper may contact the member 5l. The hopper shown, while it might be of any1 shape, is indicated as a generally rectangular hopper 92 which may have inclined sides 93 and from which sludge is drawn off through a sludge conduit 94.

Since the hopper is relatively small no cover is provided for it and the material picked up by the radially traveling conveyor by the plow 59 and its bent portion 98 and the Wiper 9| is discharged into the hopper whenever the conveying assembly passis over it. It is shown in Figures 8 and 9 in the position to discharge into the hopper.

We claim:

1A In a sedimentation tank adapted to contain liquid, a floor, and a wall, and means for maintaining said liquid at a predetermined depth, a column extending upwardly through the oor thereof to a point adjacent the surface of the liquid within the tank, a chamber beneath the floor of the tank encircling the column having a discharge opening about the column through the licor of the tank and an influent conduit beneath the floor of the tank communicating with the chamber.

2. In a sedimentation tank adapted to contain liquid, a floor, and a wall, and means for maintaining said liquid at a predetermined depth, a column extending upwardly through the oor thereof to a pointl adjacenty the surface of the liquid within the tank, a chamber beneath the floor of the tank encircling the column having a discharge opening about the column through the floor of the tank and an influent conduit beneath the iioor of the tank communicating with the chamber, means defining a` distributing inlet encircling the discharge opening and extending upwardly from the floor of the tank about the column.

3. In a sedimentation tank adapted to contain liquid, a floor and a wall and means for maintaining the said liquid at a predetermined depth, a column extending above the floor thereof to a point adjacent the surface of the liquid within the tank, an influent conduit beneath the oor of the tank and terminating adjacent the co1- umn, means encircling the column for guiding the influent from the conduit upwardly along the outer periphery of the column and discharg-v ing it into the body of liquid contained within the tank said means comprising a conduit discharging upwardly through the floor of the tank, having a discharge opening encircling the column.

4.' In a sedimentation tank, an influent conduit beneath the floor thereof having a discharge opening through such floor, a supporting ring concentric With such discharge opening in the floor of thxe tank, radial webs projecting inwardly from such-ring, a column carried by saidwebs-'and projecting upwardly, means defining a distributing inlet encircling the discharge opening and projecting upwardly from the floor of the tank around the column.

5. In a sedimentation tank, an influent conduit beneath the floor of the tank having a discharge opening through such floor, means dening a distributing inlet projecting upwardly from the floor of the tankencircling the discharge opening and terminating at a point adjacent the bottom of the tank, a plurality of structural members extending upwardly fromv the distributing inlet, a platform carried by said members and a deflector in line with the distributing inlet adjacent the discharge end thereof carried by said structural members, said deiiector comprising a downwardly extended truncated cone, the central portion thereof being open. ,f

6. In a sedimentation tank having a generally fiat iioor and a wall, conveying` means mounted for rotation above the floor and means projecting from the floor upon which such means are supported, an influent conduit discharging up-` Wardly through the floor adjacent the supporting means and an upwardly flared funnel asso-l ciated with the supporting means in line with the conduitadapted to dischargeliquid into the tank at a point intermediate the oor and the liquid level, said upwardly flared funnel terminating at its upper end at a point above said conveying means.

7. In a sedimentation tank, a column extending upwardly through the floor thereof, an annular chamber beneath the floor of the tank encircling the column having an annular discharge opening about the column through the floor' of the tank and an influent conduit beneath the floor of the tank communicating with the annular chamber, a sludge hopper in the floor of the tank adjacent the ann'ular discharge opening,

means for withdrawing sludge from the hopper and means for conveying ,sludge from the tank floor and depositing itin the hopper.

8. In a sedimentationr tank, a column extending upwardly through the floorA thereof, a chamber beneath thefioor of the tank surrounding the column having a discharge opening about the column through the fioor of the tank and an influent conduit beneath the floor of the tank v communicating with the chamber, a sludge hopper in the floor of the tank adjacent the dis'-` charge opening, means for withdrawing sludge from the hopper and means for conveying sludge from the tank floor and depositing it in the hopper.

9. In a sedimentationtank, a column extending upwardly through the floor thereof, a chamber beneath the 'floor of the tank surrounding the column having a discharge opening about the column through the floor of the tank and an influent conduit beneath the floor of the tank communicating with the chamber, a sludge hopper in the floor of the tank adjacent the discharge opening, means for withdrawing sludge fromthe hopper and means for conveying sludge from the tank floor and depositing it inv the hopper, a tubular member surrounding the column and extending upwardly into the tank in genera-l alignment and conformity to the contour of the outer periphery of the discharge opening.

icharge opening, means for withdrawing sludge from the hopper and means for conveying sludge from the tank floor and depositing it in the hopper, a shield projecting upwardly along the column between the discharge opening and the sludge hopper.

l1. In combination with a sedimentation tank comprising a structure including a relatively ilat oor and a boundary wall rising from the periphery thereof, the diameter of the tank being materially greater than its height, an influent chamber disposed in the structure beneath the floor of the tank having an influent port through the floor, a column extending upwardly from the floor of the influent chamber `through the influent port and generally concentricgtherewith, an inlet pipe extendingbeneath the floor of the tank communicating at one end with the influent chamber and extending at the other end beyond the wall of the tank, a sludge hopper in the floor of the tank adjacent the influent port, asludge pipe extending beneath the floor of the tank and communicating at one end with the sludge hopper and extending at the other end beyond the wall of the tank, a shield extending upwardly from the oor of the tank, generally conforming to the contour of the outer boundary of the influent port and encircling the column.

` 12. In a sedimentation tank, acolumn extending upwardly through the floor thereof, a cham- ;ber beneath the floor of the tank surrounding the column having a discharge opening about the column through the floor of the tank and an influent conduit beneath the floor of the tank communicating with-the chamber, a sludge hopper in the floor of the tank adjacent the discharge opening, means for withdrawing sludge from the hopper, a tubular member surrounding .the column and extending upwardly into the tank in ing upwardly through the floor thereof, a cham-' 'ber beneath the floor of the tank surrounding the column having a discharge opening about the column through the floor of the tank and an influent conduit beneath the oor of the tank communicating With the chamber, a sludge hopper in the floor of the tank adjacent the discharge opening; means for withdrawing sludge from the hopper, a shield projecting upwardly along the column between the discharge opening and the sludge hopper.

14. In a sedimentation tank, a floor and a wall, a column extending upwardly through the floor thereof, a chamber beneath the door of the tank surrounding the column having a discharge opening about the column through the oor of the tank and an inuent conduit beneath the floor of the tank communicating with the chamber, means defining a distributing inlet encircling the discharge opening and` extending upwardly from =the iloor of the tank about the column, a sludge hopper in the floor of the tank adjacent the discharge opening, means for withdrawing sludge i'rom the hopper and mechanical means for positively conveying sludge from the tank oor and depositing it in the hopper.

15. In a sedimentation tank a iioor and `a wall, a column extending upwardly through the floor thereof; a chamber beneath the floor of the tank surrounding the column having a discharge opening about the column through the ioor of the tank and an inuent conduit beneath the floor of the tank communicating with the chamber, a sludge hopper in the ooi' of the tank adjacent the discharge opening, means for withdrawing sludge from the hopper and mechanical means for positively conveying sludge from the tank :door and depositing it in thehopper, and a shield interposed between the sludge hopper and the discharge opening.

` 16. In a sedimentation tank, a floor and a wall, a column extending upwardly through the floor thereof, a chamber beneath the floor of the tank surrounding the column having a discharge opening about the column through the floor of the tank and an inuent conduit beneath the oor of the tank communicating with the chamber, a sludge hopper in the oor of the tank adjacent the discharge opening, means for withdrawing sludge from the hopper and mechanical means for positively conveying sludge from the tank floor and depositing it in the hopper, and a shield interposed between the discharge opening and the mechanical sludge conveying means. 

